Kiss It Better
by Bobbie23
Summary: The first of two prequels to Blackbird. Emily helps Morgan heal after the Reapers attack. Rating changed to M with addition of chapter two.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note – Set after **_**Omnivore. **_**The first of two prequels to **_**Blackbird. **_**Since you all asked so nicely…and maybe because it gave me an excuse to look at pictures of Shemar Moore's bare chest (for research purposes, I promise). Let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer – I don't own **_**Criminal Minds **_**or any of the characters.**

Kiss It Better

"_The decision to __kiss__ for the first time is the most crucial in any love story. It changes the relationship of two people much more strongly than even the final surrender; because this __kiss__ already has within it that surrender.__"_

_Emil Ludwig_

Emily was rolling her tank down her stomach when she there was a knock at her door. Her hands paused in movement and her eyes darted to the closed door. She had been jumpy all night. Since she had been in the car, hearing the call about Morgan, watching as the EMT pulled the glass out of his back with tweezers.

"Who is it?"

"Morgan," her partner called through the door.

Her hands smoothed the fabric over her stomach, and she walked quickly to the door looking about her temporary accommodation. She reached for the latch on the door, glancing down at her attire, wishing she had thought to stop and put on a jumper.

"Come on Em, open the door," he prompted as her hand hovered over the handle.

Giving in to his demand Emily unlocked the door and pulled it open to see him looking frustrated, wearing sweats and a loose black muscle shirt, holding a tube of anti-septic cream in his hand.

"I can't reach," Morgan told her sheepishly waving the cream in the direction of his back. He didn't add the 'help me'. He didn't need to.

Emily opened the door wider and gestured for him to enter the motel room. From the cautious way he moved she could see he was still in shock. _She _was still in shock from seeing the gaping hole in the window he had been thrown through.

He was like her when it came to asking for help. It was rare and usually a last resort. Maybe that was why he came to her, because she wouldn't hold it against him. It touched her that he trusted her enough to show her his weakness. He paused at the foot of her bed and slowly turned his head to look at her over his shoulder.

"Sit," Emily said pointing at the bed.

He hesitated, glancing around the room again before complying with her demand. Her head cocked to the side and she wondered if it was just the attack which had him suddenly so nervous. He looked around the room again, avoiding her gaze and she took the chance to hide her smile from him. She wanted to make him forget the day; forget about the bullet the Reaper left for him, just for a little while. Maybe that was why he turned up at her door. To forget.

She moved to the side of the bed and tried not to laugh when he jumped as she put one knee on the mattress. It was strange to see Derek Morgan out of sorts; his anxiety endearing him to her. She wanted to take it all away, comfort him.

His confidence had been shaken and she wanted to give back to him. The Reaper had the chance to kill him, but instead decided to mess with his brain, to watch Morgan torture himself. There was part of Emily that was grateful the Reaper was a sadistic son of a bitch who got off on watching his victims looking over their shoulder.

It meant Morgan was still alive and with the team. They wouldn't be burying one of their own. They would stop him together, they could protect each other. They could have lost him today and it would have devastated them. It could have made them lose focus and sloppy.

Rather than focusing on the possible outcome of the day, Emily focused on the fact that he was there in front of her asking for her help. She shuffled on her knees to kneel behind him. He still wore his shirt and the cream was beside him on the bed.

Her eyes travelled over the back of his shirt and his exposed shoulders and arms, examining the tattoos she saw peeking out from beneath the fabric. He was too tense, weary. She didn't blame him; she would be too if the same thing happened to her. But she wanted the confident Derek Morgan back because this hollow shell was unsettling.

Emily touched his shoulders gently, taking hold of him more firmly when he jumped. She leant down behind him to whisper into his ear playfully. "You need to take your shirt off Morgan."

He seemed to sag in relief at the teasing lilt in her voice. She let out a small chuckle when Morgan looked over his shoulder smiling self-consciously at her as he reached for the hem of his shirt. Although she would never admit it out loud there were times when she indulgently allowed herself to admire his body.

She saw the twitch in his arm when he lifted his arms and his back contracted. Emily moved backwards to avoid being hit by the material as he brought it up over his head.

Emily paused as she saw the fresh cuts on his back. Some of them were still seeping, most probably from where he had just disturbed them, and she wondered if he knew or if he was ignoring it. They must have been irritating him every time he moved, reopening the ones which had begun to heal. She wordlessly retreated off the bed and she could feel his gaze following her.

"What are you doing?"

"You're bleeding," Emily explained as she pulled the string to turn the bathroom light on. She opened her toiletry bag and pulled out the cotton wool pads. She grabbed her spare towel and returned to her previous position on the bed. Emily reached behind her for the unopened bottle of water on the nightstand and tipped some onto a pad.

Turning to Morgan she found him looking over his shoulder at her. She flashed him a smile and nodded for him to face forward again. Emily moved closer to him, leaving only a small gap between her knees and his hips. She rose above him. Concentrating on the slithers of blood she ran the wet cotton wool over his skin, cleaning the wounds, wiping away the blood.

"It's not your fault," Emily told him softly, knowing he wouldn't believe her.

Morgan sighed. "Tell me that tomorrow Emily."

"We'll find him," she insisted. This time he didn't answer.

Once she was satisfied the cuts were clean, she wiped her towel over him to dry his skin.

"Now for the cream," she said as she put the towel behind her on the bed. She held her arm rested on his shoulder and held out her palm expectantly for the tube. He put it her hand without looking at her. She unscrewed the cap and squeezed some onto her fingertips.

"Hey," he twitched under her hands when the cream came into contact with an open cut.

"Stop being a baby," she muttered as she smoothed her hands over his skin.

"Your bedside manner needs work," he replied.

She poked a finger in to his shoulder, smirking when he jolted. "Did you want me to kiss it better?" There was a pause and Emily quirked an eyebrow. "If you wanted a better bedside manner you could have gone next door to Dr Reid," she said covering her ill placed joke.

"He's not a medical doctor," Morgan replied.

"I'm sure he knows more about it than I do."

"Probably."

Her hands continued to move over his skin, the cream long since rubbed in, trying to relax and soothe him. The tension seeped out of his body, and he shifted back. Closer. Surer. Electricity singed the air around them. And suddenly she was the nervous one. She needed a distraction.

Her hand brushed his right arm and she saw the lion. She smiled fondly. It suited him. Strong and loyal. A leader. Detailed and intricate. At the core that's who Morgan was. He knew that. And today that was ripped away from him.

"How did you sit still long enough for the lion to be done?"

A deep chuckle escaped him, his body shaking under her touch and his head bobbed. "I can sit still, you know."

"You're a fidget."

"And you're not?"

Emily pursed her lips at his retort, but didn't deny his accusation. Neither of them did well at sitting still. They liked being active, out in the field, doing something. Paperwork was tiresome and they easily distracted the other. It was one of the things which caused them to bond when they started working together. All one of them would have to do was sit back and flash a sly smile at the other, and the banter would begin to flow. More often than not ending in the torment of Reid. Or when Hotch stoically reminded them of the paperwork deadline.

"How many sessions did it take?"

"A couple," Morgan replied.

Emily's hands stopped moving and rested on his warm skin. She studied the lion again marvelling at the design.

"What about you?" Morgan asked, cutting through her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Like the former wild child herself doesn't have any ink on her skin," he said as he shot her cheeky grin over his shoulder.

Emily felt her heart swell at his newly found joyful attitude. She rewarded him with natural smile, pleased by bringing him out of his depression, even for a little while. "I have two," she admitted. Morgan's brow rose, silently asking her for more detail. "A butterfly on my ankle, and the Delphinus constellation on my shoulder blade," she explained.

"Delphinus?" Morgan questioned.

"My grandfathers' favourite constellation," she replied. "But neither of them is as detailed as the lion." Morgan's expression softened and he nodded knowingly. "It suits you." The tension rose and Emily squeezed his flesh lightly and nodded for him turn to face forward again. Her hands resumed their gentle stroking of his skin.

Morgan could have died today. He wouldn't have been here now, and she would have been consoling the loss of a friend. Someone who understood her. Her partner.

One bullet. One unfired bullet. That's all it took.

They couldn't, wouldn't surrender to the taunt the Reaper issued today. He wanted his torment to rip the team apart from the inside out. They couldn't let that happen. Emily wouldn't let it.

She wasn't sure what compelled her to do it. Or if she was doing it more for herself than Morgan when she leant down and placed a soft kiss where his neck met his shoulder. His whole body stiffened. Emily sat up but she still hovered close to him.

"What are you doing?" He asked looking over his shoulder at her. He wasn't telling her to stop or pulling away. He knew she needed this as much as he did.

"Kissing it better."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note – I know that it's been a while. I must confess that I originally intended for chapter one to be a one shot. This isn't the other prequel that I was referring to but I've added a second chapter after people requested it. This is set after **_**Coda (6x16), **_**and Emily's talk with Doyle**_**.**_**As always I would love to know any thoughts you have. **

Kiss It Better – chapter two

'_So hold her closer when she cries, hold her closer when she feels. She needs a hand to hold, someone who will never let her go again. And hold him closer when he tries to hold the tears back from his eyes. Don't say goodbye.__'_

_Blessid Union of Souls _

Two years later

Emily looked up and down the deserted street cautiously. Nothing was out of place, but Emily couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. She probably was which was why she had driven back to her apartment and parked the car there. After leaving her go bag and briefcase in the kitchen she had gone to her bedroom and climbed out of the window on to the fire escape. Quickly climbing down to street level she'd took the back streets and alleys to Morgan's apartment, checking behind her at every noise, every gust of wind. Her hand flew to the holstered gun on her hip several times during her journey.

Deciding it was as safe as it was going to be Emily slipped out of the protective darkness of the alley and strode quickly up the stairs of his building. She pressed his bell and glanced over her shoulder, nervously rubbing her hands together as her senses were put on edge as she anticipated an attack. Just the thought of Doyle finding out about her arrangement with Derek shook her to the core. If he had anyone watching either of them at that moment…

She'd thought about not coming, even though Doyle had promised he wouldn't come for her tonight. Doyle had known exactly where everyone in her team was, what their plans were. He had been watching them. And that petrified her. She needed to know they were safe but she couldn't find out without making them wonder why she would be calling at this time of night. So that left Morgan…

He wouldn't question why she had come to him. Ever since that first night two years ago they had been together several times. They never went on a date, never shared a meal outside of a team setting. It didn't happen that often, their last encounter had been a couple of months ago, and they didn't schedule anything in advance. They instinctively knew when the other needed the comfort they found with each other. She needed that tonight. All she wanted to do was melt into him, one last time. Because she would be ending it in the morning.

She had to.

The intercom came to life and Morgan's voice floated out of the speaker. "Hello?"

Emily stepped closer and cleared her throat. "Hi," she replied timidly only to curse herself seconds later. He would pick up on the uncertainty and she knew he would worry.

"Hi."

Emily bit her lip and her eyes drifted closed. That one word. Which conveyed the concern and the surprise. She could see him hovering by his speaker, finger on button as he frowned in confusion at the small box.

"Can I come up?" She asked licking her lips.

"Yeah," Morgan agreed and then she heard the buzz of the door as it unlocked.

Resisting the urge to look over her shoulder again Emily pushed through the door and quickly made her way to his floor. Once outside his door, she raised her hand to knock but Morgan was pulling it open before she could.

He held the door open but she stood there, the worry etched in his face making her pause. She knew why. He hadn't expected her tonight. In the two years, there arrangement had been unspoken but they had been able to predict when the other would show up.

"Emily?" Morgan questioned.

She blinked rapidly and she spurred into action, propelling her feet forward as she entered his apartment. He slowly closed the door behind her. When he faced her, she looked away and her eyes instinctively fell on the door to his bedroom. Remembering the times she had spent the night only to slip out when he was in the shower.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked, bringing her focus back to the present.

Emily nodded. "Yeah, just a weird evening," she breathed out. Emily slipped out of her coat and he took it from her to hang up.

He didn't believe her but he didn't put a voice to the questions in his head. He accepted her reply. He was suspicious but he knew better than to push. He wanted her to trust him enough to tell him what was going on. She wouldn't be confiding in him tonight.

Instinctively knowing what she needed, Morgan didn't say anything else as he closed the distance between them. He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing across her skin lightly as he bent to capture her lips in his. He kissed her softly, tenderly.

Emily wrapped her arms around his neck, losing herself in his arms. She forced all thoughts of Doyle and his threats to the back of her mind. She focused on the feelings Derek was evoking in her as he pulled her closer to deepen the kiss.

She needed Morgan tonight. She needed him to kiss it better. Like he had needed her after the Reaper.

Just like the Reaper, Doyle wanted to torment and play with his victims before he made the final move. She knew he would come for her and leave a path of destruction in his wake. He wanted her dead, there was no doubt but he was going to destroy the life she built for herself. In some ways he already had. Doyle had already taken this comfort away from her.

This was her last time with Morgan; she was determined to enjoy it. As Morgan started to kiss his way down her neck, he pressed her up against the wall. His hands gripped her waist and hoisted her so she could wrap her legs around him. His lips became more insistent as he began to work on her clothes.

Her jacket was discarded on to the floor when he tightened his grip on the back of her thighs again and carried her to his bedroom. He turned around at the door and bumped it with his back, and walked backwards towards the bed. He spun again and deposited her on his mattress.

He ripped his shirt over his head as she scooted back to the centre of the bed, a seductive smile forced into place as she watched him undress. The sight never ceased to amaze her. And then he was kissing her again.

It was like he knew this was their last time. He slowly undressed her, caressing every inch of her skin as he pulled the clothes from his body. He built her up gently, and she felt like all her nerves were standing on end ready to explode by the time he finished exploring her body. She was sure there wasn't an inch of skin which hadn't been touched by his lips.

They moved languidly together, their pace slow, revelling the feeling of each other. She felt her climax building since Morgan entered her, and she wrapped her legs around him tighter, urging him to move faster. But he stubbornly kept the same rhythm, pinning her hands above her head when she went to touch where they were joined.

"Morgan," she half groaned, half moaned in frustration. Emily stared up at him, and their eyes met. She gasped as she held his penetrating gaze.

He did know. He understood.

He swooped down one last time to capture her lips in a deep kiss, releasing her hands as he did so. They wrapped around his shoulders to keep him there. He began to thrust deeper into her, with more force. And soon they were crashing over the edge together, crying out each other's name as they reached their climax.

Afterwards Morgan manoeuvred them to the head of the bed, pulling the comforter around them as they curled into one another. Emily rested her head on his chest, her fingers idly drumming against the taught muscles of his abdomen while his fingers buried themselves into her hair, twirling the strands comfortingly.

He still wanted to know what was bothering her. He was naturally protective and he wanted to take all the pain away. For a few hours he did. For a few hours Emily felt safely cocooned in his embrace. Safe enough to let go of the fear which gripped hold of her earlier that evening.

Morgan's fingers stopped moving when he felt her silent tears pooling on his skin. He didn't ask what was wrong. He remained silent when the sobs began to wrack her body, just tightened his hold on her. Because that's what she needed him to do.

Emily needed Morgan tonight. Because for a few short hours she didn't feel alone in the world.

In the morning, Morgan silently rose from the bed and Emily listened to the shower running as she dressed slowly. Emily paused outside of the bedroom door, looking at the bathroom. She abruptly turned on her heel and tried to slam the door as she hastily left the apartment. She wanted to tell him, but she couldn't burden him with this. It wasn't his fight. It was hers to fight.

Alone.


End file.
